Summary

Plot

Connie arrives at Whit's End to ask Whit if she can have some time off to visit Mitch's sister in Maine so she can get some closure for his death. Whit says that's fine.

Meanwhile, Alex, Cal, and Mandy work on a homework assignment about buying trends. They find that many people around Odyssey have bought Greasly Chips, Fizzy Cola, and birdhouses. They also find that the people who bought these things don't really seem to need or want them. Then why are they buying them? Just as they are pondering this, Rodney shows up wearing a Novabox Helmet and tries to steal their birdhouse. Alex says this last clue they need. Everyone who bought the stuff had a Novabox. The Novabox is making people buy things they don't need. The three of them look at the box and find that even when it's unplugged it still runs. There's no way to turn it off!

Connie arrives in Maine and talks with Mitch's sister Rachel about the kind of person Mitch was. The two of them go to his grave site. Connie is upset that she never got to say goodbye. Rachel shows her another grave: Justine Baker. Connie remembers Mitch mentioning her (reference Secrets), but didn't know she died. Rachel tells Connie the whole story. Mitch and Justine both got jobs at Galaxy Enterprises and Justine found memos about "Operation Think Tank." They hinted at illegal activity and Justine asked some people about it. Justine calling Mitch's house, but got the answering machine. She said that someone was trying to run her off the road. Justine was found dead at the scene. Mitch decided to do his own investigation and moved to Odyssey because an Andromeda Board Member had suggested Campbell College as a test site. Mitch used AREM as a way to drop hints to anyone who might be helping to bring Andromeda down. Connie tells Rachel she wants to do something to help and Rachel smiles, remembering Mitch said Connie had spunk. That evening, Connie hears the AREM sound on Rachel's computer. She opens the door and sees the AREM name. What's going on?! Rachel tells her it's very dangerous to tell her, but she will anyway. Mitch is alive.

Discussion Questions

If you were Connie’s friend, what could you say or do to help her with the sadness of losing Mitch?

Rachel said Mitch was willing to fight—even die—for what he believed. What are some things that you think are worth fighting—even dying—for?

In 2 Timothy 4:7, the Apostle Paul says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." How can a "fight" be good? What’s one idea or person God might want you to stand up for this week?

When Connie is at the airport, you can hear an announcement saying that she is in Portsmouth, which is in New Hampshire. Mitch said previously that he grew up in Boston (which is also where he worked at Galaxy Enterprises with Justine). However, Rachel says that the reason no one was home when Justine called the night she died was that "Mitch was home for the weekend".